Governors

Governing Body

By law every school must have a governing body. Wirral has 125 schools and almost 2000 school governors.

The term of office of a governor is four years, but there is nothing to stop them resigning within that four years. It is estimated that it can take a couple of years to fully get to know the job therefore, governors are encouraged to carry on for a further term of office if circumstances allow. Many governors in Wirral have been in office for longer than ten years.

Employment law states that employers must give employees who are school governors 'reasonable time off' to carry out their duties. The employee and employer have to agree on what is 'reasonable time off'.

Employers may give time off with pay, but do not have to do so. This is for discussion between the employee and the employer.

What a Governing Body Does

Part of a school governing body's responsibilities are to:

promote high standards of educational attainment

agree the School Improvement plan

set an annual budget detailing planned spending

approve a staffing structure

make sure that the curriculum is balanced and broadly based, in particular that the National Curriculum and Religious Education are taught, and report on pupil's achievement in National Curriculum assessments and examinations results

draw up an action plan following an Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) report

produce policies on a number of issues including Sex Education, SEN

appoint staff, ensuring the implementation of a range of personnel procedures

secure high levels of attendance and good standards of pupil behaviour

ensure the health & safety of pupils and staff

develop the strategic plan for the school, acting as a critical friend and ensuring accountability

deal with complaints against the school

Basically, governors work in partnership with the Headteacher/staff and oversee the work of the school to make sure that it provides a good quality education for its pupils.

Apply to Become a Governor

Community governors can be people who live or work in the community served by the school, or people who do not work or live close to the school but are committed to the good governance and success of the school.

Being a school governor is demanding but rewarding and a good way of putting something into your local community.

The most important thing you can offer is your time and enthusiasm. You will need to be able to attend meetings and be willing to read up on relevant issues, allowing time to prepare for the follow-up meetings.

It is not necessary to be an expert on education issues, but you should be motivated and have a strong desire to improve the education of young people.

To apply to become a governor, please download the expression of interest form.This form requires a written signature and therefore, the completed form should be either returned in hard copy form or a scanned signed copy emailed to the address below:

Woodchurch Road Primary School - Governing Body

Frank Doyle – Chair of Governors

LA Governor - 30/07/17 - 30/07/20

Frank Doyle is the Chair of Governors. Frank is married to Eileen and his three children were educated at Woodchurch road Primary School. Aged 55 Frank is a keen Liverpool FC fan and season ticket holder and a proud Grandad.

His main roles are:

To make sure the Governing body’s affairs are conducted in accordance with the law

To ensure meetings are run effectively

To help the Governing body work as a team

To work with the Headteacher – be available to the Headteacher, make time to listen to concerns and give constructive advice

He is the school’s Lead Governor for Computing, Pupil Premium and Mathematics.

Mark Camborne- Vice Chair

Co-opted Governor - 13/09/17 - 13/09/20

Mark has been a Governor at Woodchurch Road Primary School since his daughter started her schooling some 11 years ago. Mark is a Community Representative Governor and is the current Vice Chair of the Governing Body. Mark is a Senior Manager at the Local Authority and is married to Lindsey a secondary school teacher. They have been Oxton residents for over twenty years and have seen their daughter grow up and thrive in the local community. He is a keen golfer and for his sins follows Everton Football Club.

Wendy Johnston

Co-Opted Governor - 08/03/17 - 08/03/21

I am currently a Civil Servant working in HMRC, a Royal Naval Veteran and was elected by fellow parents to be appointed as a Parent Governor.

I wanted to join the Governing body at Woodchurch Road as I was extremely pleased with how well my Son settled in F2. After seeing how well the school worksto ensure a happy, healthy and successful learning environment for all pupils, I felt that I could offer some time to help in any way needed.

As a parent myself, I actively encourage others to get involved with the School and their childrens' education, as seeing my Son do so well and enjoy his schooling is extremely satisfying to all parties concerned.